Also

* Starbucks Corp. said fourth-quarter profit rose 21% on sales of espresso drinks and new food offerings. Net income increased to $123.7 million, or 16 cents a share, from $102.6 million, or 12 cents, a year earlier. Revenue in the period ended Oct. 2 climbed 14% to $1.66 billion, the Seattle-based company said. Earnings beat estimates of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.

* Book retailer Barnes & Noble Inc. said quarterly profit dropped on costs for a distribution center. The company raised its annual earnings forecast. Third-quarter net income fell to $327,000 from $7.57 million a year earlier, when the results of GameStop Corp. were included. Per-share profit was breakeven compared with 10 cents a year earlier. Sales climbed 3.8% to $1.08 billion, the New York-based company said. Earnings beat analysts’ estimates.

* H&R; Block Inc., the biggest U.S. tax preparer, said its second-quarter loss widened as rising interest rates eroded gains in revenue from mortgage sales. It also lowered its projected earnings for 2006. The company had a net loss of $72.2 million, or 22 cents a share for the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with a loss of $49.9 million, or 15 cents, a year earlier, the Kansas City, Mo.-based company said. Revenue climbed 14% to $620.4 million.